Tamiya 78032 - 1:350 Japanese Navy Destroyer Kagero

Plastic model kit of the Japanese destroyer Kagero in 1:350 scale

Kagero was the prototype ship of a class that became the backbone of Japan's destroyer force in the Pacific War – 19 units were built in total. Tamiya 78032 recreates her in 1:350 scale using a 2015 mould, in which new parts were developed from the mould of the destroyer Yukikaze.

The model represents the destroyer in her early-war form (1941/42), still with three 127 mm gun turrets and before the later refits that changed the silhouette of these ships. The hull is split lengthwise along the sides, with reproduced plating lines and a degaussing cable; the model can be built as a waterline or full hull display – the stand is included in the box.

For such a small ship the kit is richly equipped: thin-walled details such as the paravane davit, loop antenna, propeller guards, funnel caps and ladders are supplied as photo-etched parts, the anchor chains and propeller shafts are metal, and the masts are moulded in ABS. The manufacturer also includes a jig that makes assembling the tripod mast easier. The three 127 mm turrets and the two torpedo launchers remain movable once assembled.

What's in the box:

• Plastic sprues – side-split hull with reproduced plating lines and degaussing cable; new parts: bridge without radar cabin, main mast, aft deck, additional aft 127 mm turret, 25 mm gun positions, mines, minesweeping gear
• Parts allowing the model to be built as a waterline or full hull display
• Photo-etched parts: paravane davit, loop antenna, propeller guards, funnel caps, ladders
• Metal anchor chains and metal propeller shafts
• ABS masts together with a jig for assembling the tripod mast
• Clear parts: bridge windows and searchlight lenses
• Three 127 mm turrets and two torpedo launchers, movable once assembled
• Waterslide decal sheet for markings
• Display stand
• Illustrated assembly instructions

Model specifications:

• Scale: 1:350
• Catalogue number: 78032
• Manufacturer: Tamiya
• Model length: approx. 338 mm, width: approx. 31 mm
• Skill level: beginner/intermediate (fine details, photo-etched parts and metal components)

Please note: glue, paints and modelling tools are not included. This model is intended for self-assembly.

Building the model:

The modest size of the ship means many parts are small and call for precision tweezers and a well-lit workbench. The photo-etched parts – especially the funnel caps and propeller guards – are best attached with cyanoacrylate glue. The included jig for the tripod mast makes one of the trickier stages of the build noticeably easier, so it is well worth using.

For painting we suggest colours typical of early-war Japanese destroyers: grey for the hull and superstructure (e.g. Tamiya XF-75 IJN Grey), dark linoleum brown for the decks (e.g. XF-79 Linoleum Deck Brown) and red for the underwater section of the hull on a full hull build (e.g. XF-9 Hull Red). Paint codes are given in the manufacturer's instructions. Decals are best applied over a gloss coat, which limits decal silvering, with a matt varnish as the final finish and a wash to bring out the detail.

Tools you will need:

• Modelling side cutters for removing parts from the sprues
• Hobby knife or scalpel
• Files and sanding paper to clean up sprue gate marks
• Plastic cement (e.g. Tamiya Extra Thin Cement)
• Cyanoacrylate glue for the photo-etched and metal parts
• Precision modelling tweezers
• Brushes in various sizes
• Modelling paints (acrylic or enamel)
• Modelling wash to bring out the detail

About the ship – Kagero:

Kagero was the prototype ship of a class of which 19 units were built – one of the most numerous and most successful series of Japanese destroyers. Her keel was laid in September 1937 and she was commissioned in November 1939. With a standard displacement of approx. 2,000 tons and dimensions of 118.5 x 10.8 m, she had machinery producing around 52,000 hp driving two shafts, giving a speed of approx. 35 knots. Her crew numbered around 240.

Her armament consisted of six 127 mm guns in three twin turrets and eight 610 mm torpedo tubes in two quadruple mounts, firing the Type 93 torpedo – a weapon of exceptional range and destructive power that became a hallmark of Japanese night surface tactics.

Kagero escorted aircraft carriers, including during the raid on Pearl Harbor, and later took part in the supply and transport runs the Americans called the “Tokyo Express” in the Solomon Islands. The ship was lost in 1943 to American mines.

Original specifications (Kagero):

• Type: destroyer, prototype ship of the Kagero class (19 units built)
• Keel laid: September 1937; commissioned: November 1939
• Standard displacement: approx. 2,000 t
• Dimensions: 118.5 x 10.8 m
• Gun armament: 6 x 127 mm guns in three twin turrets
• Torpedo armament: 8 x 610 mm torpedo tubes (two quadruple mounts), Type 93 torpedoes
• Propulsion: 2 shafts, approx. 52,000 hp
• Maximum speed: approx. 35 knots
• Crew: approx. 240
• Service: carrier escort (including the raid on Pearl Harbor), “Tokyo Express” operations in the Solomon Islands; sunk in 1943 by American mines

About the manufacturer – Tamiya:

Tamiya Corporation is a Japanese model company founded in 1946 by Yoshio Tamiya in Shizuoka, a city regarded as the heart of the Japanese model industry. The business started out in the timber trade and released its first plastic model kit in 1960. The brand is known for extremely precise injection moulds, well thought-out kit engineering and excellent parts fit, which is why its models are chosen by beginners and experienced modellers alike. In the field of ship modelling Tamiya earned its reputation with the 1:700 Water Line series, and since the turn of the 1970s and 1980s it has also developed large 1:350 warship kits – richly equipped and often supplemented with photo-etched parts and metal components. Tamiya instructions are clear and illustrated step by step, which makes even complex kits much easier to build. Beyond the models themselves the company supplies a complete modelling range: paints, glues, tools and brushes. Today Tamiya is present in dozens of countries and remains one of the most recognisable brands in the hobby.